Behavioral and Neurophysiological Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Fronto-Temporal Dementia.

Fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) is the clinical-diagnostic term that is now preferred to describe patients with a range of progressive dementia syndromes associated with focal atrophy of the frontal and anterior temporal cerebral regions. Currently available FTD medications have been used to control behavioral symptoms, even though they are ineffective in some patients, expensive and may induce adverse effects. Alternative therapeutic approaches are worth pursuing, such as non-invasive brain stimulation with transcranial direct current (tDCS).

Mild brain injury and anticoagulants: Less is enough.

Background: Despite the higher theoretical risk of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in anticoagulated patients with mild head injury, the value of sequential head CT scans to identify bleeding remains controversial. This study evaluated the utility of 2 sequential CT scans at a 48-hour interval (CT1 and CT2) in patients with mild head trauma (Glasgow Coma Scale 13-15) taking oral anticoagulants.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical records of all patients on chronic anticoagulation treatment admitted to the emergency department for mild head injury.

Noninvasive Cerebellar Stimulation as a Complement Tool to Pharmacotherapy.

Background: Cerebellar ataxias represent a wide and heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by balance and coordination disturbance, dysarthria, dyssynergia and adyadococinesia, caused by a dysfunction in the cerebellum. In recent years there has been growing interest in discovering therapeutical strategy for specific forms of cerebellar ataxia. Together with pharmacological studies, there has been growing interest in non-invasive cerebellar stimulation techniques to improve ataxia and limb coordination.

Chromosomal radiosensitivity in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis is a clinically heterogeneous autoimmune disease leading to severe neurological disability. Although during the last years many disease-modifying agents as treatment options for multiple sclerosis have been made available, their mechanisms of action are still not fully determined. In the present study radiosensitivity in lymphocytes of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and healthy controls was investigated.

Clinical and electromyographic characteristics of tremor in patients with generalized anxiety disorder.

The tremor in patients with anxiety was supposed to be an enhanced physiological tremor. However no detailed clinical and electromyographic examination of tremor in patients with anxiety has been published. It has been also supposed that propranolol or benzodiazepines may influence the tremor The aim of this investigation was to establish the clinical and electromyographic pattern of tremor in patients with anxiety and to compare the effects of propranolol and alprazolam treatment.

Clinical and electromyographic assessment of essential tremor treatment.

It is a matter of debate whether beta-blockers or primidone have a better influence on essential tremor. It is also controversial whether essential tremor with synchronous electromyographic activity is influenced by the administration beta-blockers, while tremor with alternating electromyographic activity is influenced by primidone. The aim of this study was to reevaluate the effects of beta-blockers and primidone on essential tremor.

Clinical and electromyographic examinations of patients with psychogenic tremor.

The diagnosis of psychogenic tremor is difficult, as it is based on exclusion of all possible causes for organic tremor. The aim of this examination was to evaluate some typical clinical and electromyographic features of the psychogenic tremor. Twenty-nine patients with psychogenic tremor were examined and followed up for more than 36 months.

A cross-over clinical and electromyographic assessment of treatment for parkinsonian tremor.

Background: Whether dopaminergic and anticholinergic drugs exert influence on parkinsonian rest and postural tremor is a subject of debate. Different types of tremor may be influenced differently by the drugs. The aim of this study was to reevaluate the differential effects of levodopa and anticholinergic drugs on parkinsonian tremor in different limb positions and on different types of postural tremor.

Antiphospholipid syndrome and dystonia-parkinsonism. A case report.

Background: Although clinically evident and MRI confirmed, basal ganglia involvement, is usual in primary antiphospholipid syndrome, extrapyramidal disorders such as parkinsonism and dystonia are very rare. We were unable to find any report in the literature on dystonia-parkinsonism in patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome. Here we report an adult patient with dystonia-parkinsonism and primary antiphospholipid syndrome.

Evaluation of the presynaptic inhibition by comparing the amplitudes of H reflexes and F waves. Is it possible?

The H reflexes depend on presynaptic inhibition, but not the F waves. The aim of this study was to explore the possibility for using the comparison of F wave and H reflex amplitudes (F/H ratio) for indirect evaluation of the presynaptic inhibition. An examination of 130 patients with old spastic hemiparesis was performed.

Clinical and electromyographic examinations of Parkinsonian tremor.

Background: The clinical presentations of postural Parkinsonian tremor are variable and different types of tremors have been described. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the clinical and electromyographic (EMG) pattern of different tremors in Parkinsonian patients.Methods: One hundred and ten patients with Parkinsonian tremor were included in the study.

Clinical and neurophysiological correlations of spasticity.

The aim of this investigation was to explore the correlations between some neurophysiological methods and spasticity. An examination of 120 patients with spastic hemiparesis was performed. The muscle tone, force and tendon reflexes were assessed using well-known five-point scales.

Clinical and electromyographic characteristics of tremor in patients with depression.

The aim of this investigation was to establish the clinical and electromyographic pattern of tremor in patients with depression.Twenty-eight patients with depression and tremor and 30 patients with tremor and generalized anxiety disorder were investigated. Tremor was scored clinically by the Webster Tremor Scale.

Central nervous system impairment in diabetic patients.

The aims of this study were to investigate the function of the central motor control system in interaction with the vestibular and auditory systems (measured by H-reflex changes in response to vestibular and acoustic stimulations) in diabetics without clinical data for CNS impairment, in order to establish whether the disease affects these CNS mechanisms; and to assess this approach in detecting subclinical CNS diabetic pathology. The results show the same mode of change of H-reflex amplitude in response to acoustic and vestibular stimulations in diabetics as in normal subjects. However the degree of facilitation and inhibition was significantly (p < 0.

Differential diagnosis of chronic idiopathic polymyositis and neuromyositis.

The term neuromyositis indicates a very rare type of polymyositis where, beside the usual muscular manifestations, there are signs of peripheral neuropathy. Although a lot of patients with neuromyositis has been published, it is a very controversial entity. There may be considerable difficulty in distinguishing chronic polymyositis from neuromyositis, even with the aid of electromyographic and muscle biopsy examinations.

Parkinsonian syndrome as a neurological manifestation of Behçet's disease.

Background: The central nervous system is often involved in Behcet's disease. Most common are meningoencephalitic and brain stem syndromes. Although basal ganglia involvement is not an uncommon finding on necropsy, there are only single reports on extrapyramidal syndromes-dyskinesia, chorea and Parkinsonism in patients with Behcet's disease.

Differential diagnosis of scapuloperoneal syndrome.

The nosology of scapuloperoneal syndrome remains controversial. It may be only a stage in the development of facioscapulohumeral dystrophy. The aim of this investigation was to re-establish the clues for distinguishing between scapuloperoneal syndrome and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

Scapuloperoneal muscular atrophy: Davidenkow's syndrome. Family report.

The nosology of scapuloperoneal syndrome remains controversial. Is it a variant of Charcot-Marie-Tooth's disease, a form of myopathy, or of spinal muscular atrophy is still unknown. A family with a scapuloperoneal syndrome caused by anterior horn cell involvement is described.

Changes in interdigestive migrating electric complex induced by motion sickness.

This study aimed to investigate, by means of an intralumenal recording technique, the influence of motion sickness on the interdigestive migrating electric complex (IDMEC) of the gastrointestinal system of susceptible subjects. The results indicate that vestibular stimulations significantly change the duration of IDMEC phases (p < 0.05 and p < 0.

Alcohol withdrawal tremor.

It is well known that during the withdrawal period after chronic alcohol intake, tremor is one of the symptoms that disturb patients. Alcohol withdrawal tremor might be a variant of enhanced physiological tremor, most often caused by anxiety or emotional stress. The aim of this investigation was to establish the EMG pattern of alcoholic tremor and to compare it with the well known pattern of enhanced physiological tremor caused by anxiety or emotional stress.

Spasmodic torticollis and tremor due to multiple sclerosis: a case report.

Different forms of symptomatic dystonia have been reported in patients with multiple sclerosis, but the appearance of spasmodic torticollis is extremely rare. We present the case of a 24-year-old man with postural and intentional left hand tremor and leftward spasmodic torticollis. The duration of the disease is 6 years, without remissions.

Neurographic studies in hemiplegic patients.

The aim of this investigation was to re-establish the nature of the involvement of the peripheral nervous system after lesions of the central nervous system. An examination of 120 patients with spastic hemiparesis after stroke was performed. The motor conduction velocities, M-response latencies and amplitudes, as well as F-wave latencies were evaluated in median, ulnar, peroneal and tibial nerves.

Writer's cramp and tremor due to brain tumor.

Writer's cramp is frequently associated with hand tremor and with other focal dystonias. Sometimes brain infarction, haemorrhage, arterio-venous malformations or tumors are found to cause symptomatic focal dystonias. A 44-year-old man came to our attention due to writer's cramp of his right hand and postural 6-8 Hz tremor.

Vestibular and auditory influences on segmental motoneuron excitability--a comparative study.

This study aimed to investigate the vestibular and acoustic influences on segmental motoneuron excitability in the same normals in order to compare the effects of both sensory systems. The results show that both systems exert similar influences on H-reflex in the same subjects. These indicate similarities in the function of motor control and suggest common final pathways of the vestibular and auditory activity to the segmental motoneuron.

Idebenone, a new drug in the treatment of cognitive impairment in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a central nervous system disorder characterized by the presence of neurofibrillary tangles, neuritic plaques and dystrophic neurones in susceptible areas of the brain. Few options for treatment of AD symptomatology are available. We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel trial consisting of a 90 day treatment period followed by a 30 day single blind placebo administration and by an optional long term period of treatment up to a year with idebenone in open fashion.